Blacktail Deer Plateau disco fries

Atticus was making it a point lately to become a frequent presence around the Alphas' den site. He had felt an instinctive dedication to Peregrine's children since the moment they'd been born; it was, after all, wolf nature to nourish and safeguard the future generation. But it wasn't until he had suddenly become a father himself, unexpectedly discovering the existence of a teenage daughter he'd never known about, that his love and devotion to his nieces and nephew truly hit home. Now, he never ventured far from the Alphas' den for very long. Sure, he patrolled the borders as was his duty, and tracked and hunted game as was expected of him, but when he wasn't doing those things, he was near Peregrine's den. Not right there, for he knew the Alpha pair enjoyed their privacy as much as anyone else might, but he was always close by, quietly keeping guard as any good uncle should.

He did love to stop by the den and visit the children, though. They were growing so fast; it seemed that every day there was something new. They were always a little bit bigger, or there was always something new they'd learned to do. Now they were toddling around, exploring their surroundings and soaking up every bright, vivid detail of the vast world around them like tiny, adorable sponges. He loved them so much, and he doted on them immensely in his own way.

A pass by the Alphas' den this morning rewarded him with the sight of little Osprey Junior rearing up in the wobbly, hapless way that puppies do, scrutinizing a treetop with apparent fascination. She was so damned cute that Atticus couldn't help grinning like a complete fool; she already had him hopelessly wrapped around her tiny little paw, enslaved to her forever. Casting a nod of greeting and a good-natured wink to his ever-watchful brother nearby, Atticus radiated friendliness in every aspect of his body language as he approached the child. "Whatcha lookin' at, cute thang?" he asked her softly, sitting down near her. He knew she couldn't really understand what he was saying to her, but he said it anyway.