Larkcall Lowlands Radioactive

@Craw @Wraith @Celandine @Greer @Isuni (and anyone else jumping on board just hit us up for a pre-dated thread) - LETS DO THIS! I'd like to knock this over ASAP, round 2 starts when everyone has replied OR 13th May at the latest.
RE- Violent thunderstorms overtake Relic Lore

The going had been slow, with her broadening sides and constant pangs of pain coursing down her flanks, ravenous hunger and frequent mood swings. She had no doubt she was a less than ideal travelling companion, but they put up with her much like they put up up with the spring storms, an inconvenience that could not be avoided (or so she felt, as burdensome as she was).

The hills had been the hardest part, convinced on more than one occasion that this must be it...they would have to stop here, now, but she gritted her teeth and kept her mouth shut, trudging forward though the false contractions. They still had ground to cover yet, and when finally the valleys and gulches gave way to the wide, flat expanse of the tundra she could have cried with joy. Instead a nudge to Craw's cheek was all she could manage as she winced through yet another pang, but they came with no regularity so she wasn't about to call a halt yet.

They had shifted in the night, those small mysterious beings that loved to throw their limbs at any who dared lean in too close, and what might have felt to the first time mother like three or four children suddenly felt like 10 as she tried to combat the heavy pressure in her hips (like gripping a boulder between her thighs and expecting to be able to walk normally) with her splay legged waddle and deep steady breathing. The founders eyes were set on a speck of elevation on the far side of the tundra, the only real landmark for miles and she'd be damned if she was the one that prevented them from reaching it.

The air pressure was building, an insufferable heat setting her tufty coat on fire. The itch was worse than any heat she had endured yet. Each step across the many hours grew heavier as the storm clouds at their back rolled in, darkening the sky until the early afternoon could easily be mistaken for the depths of night. Sight was obscured as the downpour began, fat drops of rain soaking even into matted shedding coat until she felt her poor limbs were supporting three Morgannas, instead of just the one. It was only when the water rose up around her ankles that she dared to raise her head, finding herself headed straight into a lake that skirted a cliff unlike anything she had ever seen before. It seemed to be made from uncountable columns, some torn away by gravity and protruding from the water below. She didn't even get a chance to get the a question about just what this sort of thing was called before another contraction hit her full force.

Despite all the rain, she hadn't drunk more than stray droplets licked off her soaked muzzle for what felt like at least a day. The roiling of her stomach, a frantic crescendo, ignored as she lowered her head to greedily lap at the pristine waters, almost sweet after so long without. But that gradual build would not be ignored. Almost immediately she back-pedalled, scrambling clear of the banks and away from her companions to wretch behind a tussock of already browning grass, her body protesting, finally declaring enough. She could no longer ignore the warning signs. Ready or not it was time.

A nervous whine left her throat as panicked eyes sought out Craw in the downpour. "This is it." She was utterly unprepared. Just past his shoulder she spotted a break in the grass and what seemed to be a shale-lined track moving up there. The way the rains were falling she wasn't convinced her children wouldn't drown if she stayed down here and through clenched jaws she gestured there before shaking limbs dragged her forward. All else was forgotten in that moment. She needed somewhere warm and dry.

If those tagged can't reply by then, let one of us know if it's okay to PP you, or jsut hop in asap <3 you're all counted as here! For anyone who might be joining us late, I am happy to edit this post to include you, but I think once the second round starts we'll consider our numbers set in stone.
Let me know if I missed anything.
Though there won't be any rival wolves here, any of you are welcome to 'find something' and deal with it however you like - whether right now or just report it back - since we don't have to make this go easy for them ;)

There was never any doubt they would turn north. This was already as far south as Craw had ever been, and as much as he had tried, he didn't like it. The cold and harsh world had birthed him, and he belonged in it. Had Morganna not been ready to burst any day, he expected that their group would have gone further still, but as it was, fate caught up to them on the wide lowlands where forest turned into rolling tundra. At least the mountain was to their south again. Looking back, he could quite clearly remember that view, for the craggy peak of the Dire had been the first thing he'd seen when limping south all those many months ago.

How it had all changed.

The weather had been vile for days, and had finally cumulated into a great, noisy storm which crashed and rained harder with every step. Morganna trudged through it, weighed down by her womb in a way which Craw would never be able to understand, but the man himself felt as though he were flying. The very skies itself celebrated the enormity of this victory, that they had finally extracted themselves from the mess of the willows and were carving their own path, and for the first time in... well, for the first time in his entire life, he felt as though he trusted each and every wolf who walked with them. They had chosen to be here, and with every step in this torrential rain, they were continuing to choose, and Craw made it no secret that he respected them for it whenever he stole snippets of talk with any of them.

Morganna had spied something on the horizon, a rock which jutted out of the ground and stood alone among miles and miles of flat. It was northbound, and it didn't take long for him to recognise it; there had been rolling fields near to where he was born which had had smaller versions of it, as though something vast had punched the earth up from below. None of those monadnocks had been so grand as this one, though, as its sheer cliffface with its sharply angled streaks fell straight into a wide lake on one side, and to its rear it appeared to slope, offering hints of a path which would lead up to its wide, flat rise. They stopped at the monadnock's lake to slake their thirst, Morganna's needs amplified by her condition. Craw worried that she might be pushing too hard, but could not bring himself to stop until they had to.

The monadnock was magnificent, but Craw would have thought of it as little more than another feature of their journey had Morganna not spoken those words. Just like that, everything changed again. Rain and wind beating through their fur, Craw followed her pointed gaze, his eyes landing on the track up that sloped side of the rock. Yes. Head lifting, he glanced around at the wet but stubborn wolves who had followed them this far, and barked once, harsh and loud to try and cut through the howls of the storm, to draw their attention.

"It's time." Morganna would not have mobility for long, if her instincts were right. The list of necessary tasks were drawn up and he looked between their faces, working out who to assign to each. "She'll need shelter. Find somewhere safe and dry," he said to Greer, tossing his head at the monadnock, hoping that there would be a suitable site for a makeshift den somewhere halfway or on top of the rock. But that wasn't the only order of business; they were strangers in this land, and knew nothing about it save for what they could see. If someone or something else already called this place home, it was time to find out - and drive them out. Morganna would need this place to be secure for her newborns, and they had the numbers to ensure it. "We must identify any competition. I want no nasty surprises. Celandine, Capable, check the base and the surrounding field. Be safe."

He stepped closer to Wraith, touching his nose to the cheek of the wolf he trusted most. "Secure the top," he rumbled, and glanced up at the top of the cliffs, wishing that he would be the one to first scale it. But if not he, then Wraith was the next best thing. He trusted that the man would be thorough and ensure that the high plain was empty. As for Craw himself, he was no midwife - none of them were - but there was nowhere he could be other than by her side.

Saying nothing to Morganna herself, Craw moved beside her, a willing support for every step she needed it. His cheek pressed into the thick, soaking fur of her neck, a soft growl in his throat, one she would likely feel rather than hear. A promise.

(This post was last modified: May 06, 2016, 07:42 AM by Craw.)

Morganna set the pace, her thick sides near bursting. Celandine was careful to steer clear of the woman for the better part of their journey, unwilling to be an outlet for their queen's mood swings. That job was better suited to one of her former subordinates, or someone who understood the pain she must be enduring. She did glance over occasionally, noting that the soon-to-be mother's jaw seemed a little too tight. The former princess wondered if moving so close to the birth was a good idea, but decided that it didn't matter any way. She was no longer the one calling the shots, so if Morg was willing to grin and bear it, then the Argyris had no qualms.

It seemed like years before the trees were well and truly behind them, opening up to a vast expanse of nothing. There were no high-standing trees, or lakes. No shelter from the rain, or sun. Well, except for one thing. She couldn't tell what it was exactly, only that it stood mountains higher than anything else around it. A plateau perhaps? Her gaze swung to her companions, wondering if they'd seen it too. 

The heat became unbearable, even with her pallid fur, and summer coat. She'd spent much of her time waiting to leave pulling out the thick tufts remaining from winter for just this occasion, but it helped little, and less. Her eyes strayed once more to the pregnant woman, feeling some sense of pity. With all she'd had going on, it seemed that she still had a few thick patches clinging to her pelt. Celandine thought to pull them from her sides, to ease the burden, but decided against it, opting to face forward, and put another tail length between the woman and herself.

The farther they went, the more uncomfortable the dark woman looked. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought. Would that be her some day? How.. dreary. If all she had to look forward to was waddling like a duck, and blowing up in all the most unsightly areas, then someone else could have the cubs. Power or not, she did not want to deal with any of that mess. 

The promise of a storm followed the heat, as the expectant air turned electric. Thunder crashed behind them, her pale fur standing on end. They wouldn't be able to outrun it, and their ability to find shelter in the tundra was not promising. Like fog in he midst of summer, the clouds crept over them. A crash here, and there, until the skies were nearly pitch. They were in for it now, nearly the highest things on the ground, what would the lightning hit? As if on que, the heavens opened up, and heavy droplets began pelting her coat.

It wasn't long before she was utterly soaked, her fur clinging heavily to the skin on which it sat. Squinting, Celandine had to push her previous thoughts of steering clear of Morg aside, in favor of staying with the group. It wouldn't do to get lost in the middle of this. So she pressed closer, until she could just make out the dark woman's uncomfortable gait.

Suddenly, the woman halted, and Celandine nearly collided with her rear end. As she backed up, so did Celandine, sidestepping wildly to stay out of her way. Was that.. a lake? Through the slits in her eyes, she could also make out a.. a cliff? It's rocky surface jutted out here, and there in massive columns that seemed to be placed randomly.  

There was a whine to her left, pulling the focus away from the monadnock, and towards something altogether horrifying. "This is it." Right now? In the middle of a storm? The expectant mother hadn't even had time to make her den. Gods be good, did anyone here know anything about plants? Lavender was all Celandine really knew, so unless it was stress-relief Morganna was looking for, she was utterly lost.

Wildly, her eyes searched through the storm for the others, hoping that someone would know what to do. When Craw's raspy voice came through the endless sound of rain, Celandine felt relief like she never had before. She wouldn't have to midwife, thank the Gods. "Consider it done. I'll call if there's any trouble." She said, as if he'd be able to hear.

(This post was last modified: May 06, 2016, 07:17 AM by Celandine.)

Have you seen my OOC preferences?

It was poor timing, the storm. Wraith blinked the worst of it from his eyes as he walked to one side of the pack. Keen yellow eyes remained on alert throughout their journey, muscles stiff with tension. The lightning played tricks, turning shadows into bears that left the northerner lifting his lips irritably. And yet, despite all the difficulty, he felt more at ease than he had since leaving his old home in the highlands. In their company were trusted wolves who wanted to be there. While he didn't want to make a big deal out of it and embarrass the lad, Wraith had been happy to find @Greer joining their company. The youth was trustworthy and hardworking despite his reserved nature and the male had the utmost respect for how much he'd already grown since first they met. Though the Kael male knew little of the new wolf in their midst, he trusted his Alphas judgement implicitly. As he'd assured @Craw before, they had his loyalty. He wasn't one to mince words. Black ears swiveled to the side, his body tensing as @Morganna's whine reached him. Nervous for her and the life she carried within, he mirrored the sound more quietly and trotted closer to the group. Wraith stood at attention as Craw called for it, his expression stern in the face of the less than ideal situation. Poor timing all around. But pups cared little for the woes of their pack. When they came, they came. There was no bribing them otherwise yet. Once the others had their orders, Wraith rumbled in understanding as his own were passed on, returning the gentle touch. He bumped the spider-faced male's chin in reassurance before twisting in the gathering mud to scale the ridge ahead of them. Whereas usually the male would usually race up the mountain face with little care, Wraith opted for caution. Storms such as these tended to shift the very land itself. He'd promised to teach these new lives; he'd be loathe to miss out on the opportunity due to reckless footing. The path was slippery, rocks slick with rain. Small rivulets passed between stones and carried with them a scent that lifted the wolf's hackles. Of course this wouldn't be easy. As if the storms and Morganna going into labor before they were ready wasn't bad enough, now they'd have a cat to deal with. It's scent was thick in his nose, made heavier by the rain. What business could a bobcat possibly have out in this weather? Surely it wasn't hunting. As he mounted the rise, Wraith found that she certainly wasn't hunting. Rather, she was trying to find a more suitable den for her kits. A bolt of lightning cracked behind him, throwing his dark form in stark silhouette. If the cat hadn't seen him before, she certainly saw him now. Her back arched, lips peeling back into a snarl even with her little one clutched in her jaws. Wraith let his own teeth show in return; there was nothing more dangerous than a mother protecting her babies. She tossed her kit behind a nearby stone, earning a pitiful wail from the kit that was silenced by its mother's hissing. She darted forward, swatting a large, wet paw at Wraith's face. He'd taken on bigger cats than this and come out on top before. Cheap tricks weren't going to intimidate him, especially with all there was at stake. Knowing his growls would go unheard by his packmates in the heat of thunderous storm, the northerner would be on his own for this. Amber eyes darted towards the nearby cliff edge. Cats didn't always land on their paws. Before she could avoid him, Wraith charged, using his head to shove dead center of her chest. Though he felt claws rake across his shoulders and down his neck through his thick ruff, he knew she'd been unprepared for such an attack. Her form hurtled off the cliff as another snarl of thunder shook the mountain. At his paws, the kit wandered shakily out from its shelter. Though it pained him, he bent to crush it hard in his jaws before sending it after its mother. A faster end than freezing or starving to death on its own. Wraith peered over the edge just to be certain the cat lay dead. Satisfied when he saw the form of her broken body below, he completed his check of the rest of the ridge before descending to rejoin his packmates. If his eyes were a little haunted upon his return, it was likely only Craw would understand.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

    

North.

The journey had been met with just a hint of hesitation – north was Moose’s Tooth and the pack that resided there.  Was her father still the pack alpha?  Was her mother still his veritable brood-bitch, or had he moved on?  Or had he stepped down in his age, allowing Arrow leadership, the right to have his own pups?

But none of these were the thoughts she wished to keep in her mind.  This was change.  This was leaving behind Willow Ridge and the Archer Empire that Isuni had never truly been a part of, and forging something new.  Perhaps, by being present at the birth of this pack, the redheaded woman would feel a bit more at home amongst wolves she knew – and some she did not.  Though she did not trust the pale woman (rather reminded of the other run out before the group’s departure), she kept her tongue.  This was not her choice to make.

It’s time.

Capable could have laughed – pups had the most impeccable sense of timing.  Wisely, she kept her mouth shut, tongue lolling out to one side as the pouring rain quenched any sense of temper.  It was a welcome relief, it was to quaff in an oasis in the middle of a desert, and in that moment, she was offered a taste of freedom.  No one was asking her to midwife.  She probably could, truth be told, but detested the notion.  The redhead said nothing, only stepping to as she was partnered with the new one.  Celandine. 

“Let’s go,” she huffed, towering over the younger animal.  The wildfire cut a swath through the surrounding field, head low and tail straight out behind her as she marched through, head on a swivel.  It did not take long to reach the shores of the lake, and she glanced around.  No one.  “Shame it’s raining.  Dampens any scents.”

One ear rocked back. “Someone else may be here—“

A wild dissertation appears!

i had to google what this thing was, so here's a picture. basically, the old den greer found is tucked behind some shrubs like the one in the picture about half way up the rock-thing :-)

It was strange to think that after so many months of planning to leave the willows behind and (im)patiently waiting for the right time, the shadow was finally on his way. It had come rather unexpectedly and the company had taken him by surprise. While he knew that his sister had grown increasingly unhappy among the willows they had grown up in, Greer had been surprised by her willingness to leave. The shadow had been reluctant to join at first — partly because he was angry that he had found out from Craw not Morganna, and partly because he wanted to travel on his own. Ever since he had first thought about leaving his birthplace behind, the boy had always planned to be alone for awhile before pursuing another pack to call home. However, with his sister’s pregnancy and the company not being completely horrendous, Greer had decided to accompany them. It was still a peculiar feeling, leaving behind the spindly trees and heading north — it was finally happening.

Their pace was slow but steady; they moved to Morganna’s pace, not daring to push the pregnant queen to go faster. There were times where he thought that his sister would crumple to the earth in protest, but she was relentless. The soot queen wanted to put as much distance between herself and their previous pack as possible, which was fine by Greer. The willows had not been his home now for many months; it had merely been a place he frequently inhabited when he wasn’t out exploring the neighbouring territories.

The shadow kept his distance from the group most of the time. He was either ahead of them, scouting parts of Relic Lore he had never seen before, or he fell behind, ensuring they remained together and nobody was following them. As per usual, the shadow kept to himself, uttering maybe a handful of words during their trip. It did not surprise him that Capable had joined them — she had been on the fence about her position in Willow Ridge during their last encounter. What surprised him was the presence of the former moon princess, Celandine. He had been unaware that  the girl knew both his sister and her minions. While it surprised him, it made sense. The girl had lost everything when the plateau had disbanded after the death of the white king. And she had been lurking awfully close to the ridge border, which must have ticked off Morg or Craw.

Just as they reached the lowlands a storm began to roll in, causing a scowl to roll across his features as he glanced around their new surroundings. The rain was persistent; within minutes the sky had opened up and sheets of rain came down on the group. He bounded forward, observing the rock formation with heightened curiosity as he blinked the rain out of his eyes. Just as he began to wonder how much further they planned on going, the soot queen’s voice called through the storm: this is it.

Shit.

He approached his sister slowly, silver eyes wide as he realized what was happening. Whether they liked it or not, this was where they would be staying — temporarily or permanently, only time would tell. Almost immediately the spider announced that they needed shelter, his voice fixated on the shadow as he asked for him to find shelter. With nothing but a quick nod, the boy sprinted toward the monadnock. He knew he couldn’t go too high — if the puppies were coming, Morg would not be able to climb for longer than she needed to — but he still needed to go high enough. The other three were not far behind him, preparing to survey the rock for possible dangers. Greer would leave the threats to them: his sister was his first and only priority. Lunging at the rock, he climbed higher, scanning the surface for something large enough to fit Morganna and her children, and deep enough to hide them from the outside world.

It was tucked behind some brush that he found an old den, where the previous owners (a coyote and it's litter) had been vacant for quite some time. This will do, he thought to himself as he entered the den, his nostrils flaring as he searched for anything that raise concern. Once the den was secured, the shadow jumped onto a large rock on the other side of the bush so he could locate the rest of the group. Throwing his head back, he called for Morganna and Craw to alert them of what he had found. Now she just had to make it up here.

@Craw @Wraith @Celandine @Greer @Isuni, Ok - onto round 2! the quicker we wrap this up the quicker we get our claiming points ;) Just for clarity sake inspo for the Monadnock face and general silhouette but in both cases minus the trees because Tundra. <3

Tunnel vision, the buzz in her ears building as each contraction smashed against her like waves beating a cliff in a storm. In that moment she was the only wolf alive, and a whole new universe was about to be formed with a cataclysmic bang of thunder overhead.

She needed to move.

Morganna only vaguely registered the dark shapes of her brother and Wraith darting forwards to clear the way. Craw's words had been drowned out by the rain and a ringing in her ears, and when he joined her, the vibration of his growl was the only way she knew he was there at all. With a new urgency she bounded up the path with speed she had not mustered for nearly a month, shooting past the den where Greer was concealed and barging past Wraith as her feet found level ground. Frantic eyes searched for a tree, for anything that might make cover but all there was, was a long stretch of pale boulders. They would have to do.

Her brothers howl was drowned out by the rain overhead and her focus on a singular purpose as paws frantically ripped through sod, the rocks offering some shield to the weather as she excavated (if there were others there helping her they were on another plane of existence). Her panting was frantic, and had she not been so wet she would have felt a dampness coat her thighs but on she pushed, dragging out soft soil with strong limbs until the hole was large enough to fit her head and shoulders in. It would have to do for now.

It would have to do.

She turned her back to the rocks, a low growl of warning and a savage flash of teeth signalling any who had come too near that now was the time to leave. She wouldn't hesitate to charge at any who had thoughts of staying. Growls would quickly fade to whines as the first child was born, a small dark boy, all her very own. He was quickly cleaned and nudged to her stomach, shielded from the tempest by the large white rocks and his mothers warm body, although he refused to settle there, seemingly seeking someone else. It took almost an hour for his sister to join him, her red fur standing out even in the depths of night, but as soon as she was nestled at his side the boy relaxed, and so did the storm.

Exhausted and clueless as to just how much time had passed, Morganna glanced over her shoulder to see the sun rising on a new day. As she turned back to look at her children eyes were caught on the glittering white stones, veined with gold. She smiled and let out a low woof, expecting Craw and Wraith to be nearby. They're here.

(This post was last modified: May 08, 2016, 12:37 PM by Morganna.)

Celandine followed after the tawny woman-whose name she could never remember-and nodded through the downpour still soaking her coat. "It's poor timing." Her response, although loud, was nearly drowned out by another crash, and something.. something else? Mimicking Capable, Celandine's ear orbited backward, her body turning directly after. "I heard it." Something was out there, but what? Another wolf, a bear perhaps?

Pale lips curled back to reveal a pink tongue behind her pearly teeth. There were pups to think about now, not that she had ever cared for the helpless things, but what would their King, and Queen think if they let a stranger wander in mid-birth? That was a crime she would rather not take the blame for, and so her head lowered. Celandine blinked through the rain, her amber eyes waiting for another flash of lightening to illuminate the world once more. If it was simply another member of their little band, she would much rather not  get off on the wrong paw attempting to kill them. She had to remember that she was the outcast here. No one knew her, and it was entirely possible that none of them trusted her.

She considered sounding the alarm, but between the earth-shaking booms, and constant background noise of the rain, her attempts would be in vain. So it would be just the two of them then. Closing ranks to stand beside the larger woman, she found that they made a somewhat formidable team of convenience. All the better for what was to come.

Have you seen my OOC preferences?

“This is shit,” Isuni agreed.  Not the move, not exactly, she’d encouraged that idea – but the entire timing seemed to feel a bit like the sky was coming down on their heads.  If she believed more in Valhalla, the girl would wonder if she was being punished for being so brash, for leaving her father and brothers behind, for being under the impression she could make it on her own.  Which she could, angry destiny be damned.  Sneering into the rain, the woman shook the thought off like the water on her back – whether it was true or not, she’d not let something so stupid drag her down.

Glancing over at the pale woman, she tipped her head – well, at least she wasn’t hearing things, she supposed.  As Celandine fell into line behind her, the large wolf offered a nod in acknowledgement.  “Can smell it, it’s getting closer.  Stinks like coyote.”  Lips curled back to reveal a toothy grin, excitement arcing through the redhead like the streaks of lightning overhead.  Even if it was more than one of those rangy little dogs, she had no doubt the pair of them could run the smaller animals off effectively.  It was quite possible they’d denned nearby for the water, or were simply holing up because of the storm.  Were it the latter, she might even let them stay – but Morganna was about to give birth, and while she, like her companion, cared little for that, she was well aware what sort of hell they might find themselves in if they let anything interrupt the queen while she was most vulnerable.

“This way.”  Breaking into a forward lope, the large woman squinted in the rain.  Before long, a bolt of light revealed two small shapes in the distance – there they were.  “Run ‘em off!”

Without waiting for Celandine’s approval, Capable surged forward, every intention of body slamming one of the vermin to the ground if they didn’t high-tail it out of there first.

A wild dissertation appears!

Between the rain, the sudden threat of coyotes, and Morganna on the brink of giving birth, Greer wasn’t entirely sure what was going on. He could hardly see with the rain falling into his eyes, but he needed to remain alert. While it appeared that Celandine and Capable were handling the coyote situation, it did not mean that more vermin weren’t lurking around. His brows knitted together, a deep frown cutting against his maw as he waited for another crack of lightening to illuminate their surroundings. Things had been going so well for them since they had left the willows behind — why now did things decide to take a turn for the worst?

Keeping his distance from his frantic sister, Greer turned his attention to ensuring that the rest of the monadnock was secure. Unless the duo chasing off the coyotes needed him, the shadow knew they could handle themselves against a few overgrown rats. Due to his frequent travels he had a fairly good idea of where they were, but he would have to wait until the rain stopped in order to confirm his suspicions. He knew had gone fairly far north, but he could not tell what — and who — was nearby.

Once his sister was situated the shadow retreated from his post to see if there was anymore undesirable creatures lurking nearby. With the presence of coyotes Greer was doubtful that there was anything else skulking around but it was better to be sure than deal with an unexpected surprise with little Archers present.

Until the sun rose from the horizon, Greer maneuvered around the rock, studying every nook and cranny under the cover of darkness. The rain was starting to let up as the sky grew brighter and relief flooded through his body like a tidal wave. After giving his body a violent shake to rid himself of most of the water that had soaked him to the bone the shadow returned to where Morganna had dug out her birthing den. It was still strange concept that it was his sister and not their mother expecting children this year. Until this moment it had not felt real. The frown had returned as he folded his damp body atop a rock several tail lengths away from the den, his expression muted as he waited for the other wolves to gather.