Blacktail Deer Plateau there's nothing i want

set to the 14th

She woke early that morning, earlier than the others, it seemed, as the grey dawn was silent. She stretched rising from her place beside her father and nudging @Grayday 's shoulder. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she moved amongst her packmates, finding @Aditya, and @Pema in her den. It was time they left, and the girl wanted ample time to explore before winter set in and she would not be able or want to stray far from the pack. Already the air had a bite, hardly felt through her thick pelt, but something that signified snows to come. She sat beside her father, flexing her forelimbs and waiting for the others to assemble.

the times were changing--or, at least, the weather was--and he. . .well, not so much with them. at dawn's touch he awoke with a shiver, the icy breeze biting into his pelt. hari had blessed him with a voluminous tail, but that blessing had not extended to the rest of his body. his fur was southern-winter short, not suited for this climate, and for a moment aditya fretted over the coming months.

but getting up and moving around would do him good, warm him somewhat. with a small groan he arose and stretched, shaking the dust from his pelt.

this must be the day that dawn had chosen to leave on pema's mission, and he was to accompany them on their journey. he was honored that grayday had given him his blessing, given his newness to morningside. but, in lieu of a trip himself, this was the perfect way to start earning his keep in the pack--and further endearing himself to dawn's father.

"dawn," he greeted the lead hunter with a smile. "shubh prabhat. how are you feeling today?"

She awoke to the sound of Dawn poking her head into her den. The day had come for them to leave the territory in search of someone who could teach Pema a bit more about being a medic. She was excited and had been sleeping lightly the last couple days in anticipation. She would miss the pack alot, but they would be back before winter. Thats what she kept telling herself when she though about leaving the pups that were often at her side. 

When she exited her den she saw both Dawn and Adi up and talking. Waking up to them she said "Morning Everyone." then proceeding to do a downward dog stretch to loosen herself up and wake up her body for the day. She wasn't the biggest long distance traveler so she would need to ready herself for that. 

He'd slept badly that night; dreams of losing his daughter plagued him when he closed his eyes, and the male found it much more restful to watch his grown-up little girl while she slept. Still, he was aching and tired by the time morning came, and his expression was cloudy as he sat beside his daughter, doing his best to direct his gaze out over the flatlands instead of drinking in her appearance one last time.

They'd be back home soon enough.

Pema and Adi joined them soon enough, and the male stood and turned to face the scouting party, making a valiant attempt at looking cheerful and confident. It almost worked.

"Protect each other, " he reminded them, moving to nuzzle each wolf in turn. He linger by Dawn the longest and hooked his chin over her shoulders. "I know you'll do well," said Grayday, sure that this, at least, was nothing but the truth.

Then he stepped back and watched them go, his expression falling into worry once more. He would not sleep easy until they were all back in the plateau.

The girl offered a flashing grin to Adi, replying "excited. you?"  As always, the words he uttered before his question were strangely beautiful, and she ought to remember to ask him what they meant. But her attention was stolen by the arrival of Pema, stretching languidly, and of her father's words. She knew him well enough to know that he was uneasy, and when she stepped forward to say goodbye, she murmured softly, "don't worry, Da. we'll be safe." She meant it, this was a mission and not an excuse to leave the territory to do stupid things, as she had in the past.

She pulled back, warmth in her eyes as she looked to her father. When the other's seemed ready, she swished her tail in a silent let's go, moving towards the borders with her two packmates at her side. She was confident that the plateau would be fine, the ranks were full and her pack-mates able-bodied. She shot her father a final glance over her shoulder, before her gaze shifted forwards, and to the task at hand.

he opened his mouth to respond to dawn, but then pema and grayday appeared, the former stretching, the latter looking incredibly worried, though adi thought he made a valiant effort to hide it. the leader was gazing at dawn, and he knew that the gray male must be fretting over his daughter's quest.

"protect each other." he blinked solemnly at his alpha, giving him a nod in return. then a wag of dawn's tail suggested they leave, and, with a parting smile at grayday--hoping to convey reassurance--he followed alongside the two women, stepping toward morningside's borders.

the valley spread out vast and wild before them, from the banks of the river below the plateau, spreading out to the flatlands and mountain crags in the distance. adi breathed deep, closing his golden eyes for a moment. winter's touch had taken over the wind, and soon there would be a blanket of snow on the ground.

he opened his eyes and looked at dawn, one side of his mouth lifting in a half-grin. "lead the way," he said gently, prepared for whatever was ahead.

Grayday was quick to see them off and make sure that they all looked after eachother. But dispite his attempts to seem completley happy about this while thing, Pema could tell their was something troubling him. When he looked at Dawn and said goodbye to her, she thought he must simply be worried about his daughter going away for so long. There wasn't any time to really talk about it now. Only time for all of them to tell him they would look after one another. 

Dawn said goodbye to her father and Adi assured him that they would protect one another. Pema was the last one to follow them out, but before she left she told Grayday. "We'll be alright and we will be back soon." she said placing her head on his shoulder and giving him a parting hug. "Keep the den and the pups warm for me ok." she said, knowing that Lavender especially would need the den and some warmth with her thin pelt. 

She smiled at him one more time before trotting up to meet the other two out of the blacktail deer plateau.