Sunbeam Lair Buffalo Soilder

These times were proving tough indeed. Leo had forgotten the last time he had eaten a proper meal. All there was were the dead bugs and those were not enough. The young wolf was not such a skilled hunter and even then prey was scarce. Leo was getting weak.

short post...

The last time in which she'd seen the boy was one she could not recall. Quite some time had passed since they'd last encountered one another, and she felt herself partially to blame for that. She'd been lingering alongside one of the many streams trickling throughout the lair, gazing down into the water when she'd thought of him. Perhaps it was time she sought him out, for it seemed as if he might not search for her—Asterr did not believe that he'd left her, for the poor child had been with her from the very beginning, but she had believed that the tough times had kept him away. Like many of the tribe's members, she had assumed he'd been busying himself with idle tasks, such as patrolling the borders or seeking out what prey could be tracked. Never had she stopped to consider that he might not be getting enough to eat for, if she were to be honest about their situation, not a single soul within the lair was acquiring the correct amount of sustenance. It was the price that came with the famine, she knew, and often did thinking about it upset her.

From the corner of her eye, Asterr had spotted a streak of silver in the water, and immediately her body had lurched forward in an attempt to grab it. When she'd pulled her muzzle back out of the water, however, she'd noticed right away the lack of fish. She'd acted on impulse, and because of that she'd failed. With a sharp shake of her coat, small droplets of water flew from the fur along her chest and cheeks, she was off. Despite her lack of a meal to offer, the chieftess still desired Leo's company, and so she'd started tracking him as soon as she was able to do so. Thankfully, it hadn't taken long to locate him, but the moment she'd seen him she was forced to stop dead in her tracks. No one was looking too good health-wise, but he seemed to be worse off, making her wonder how long it'd been since he'd last eaten. Of course, the yearling felt responsible, for she had served as his primary provider of care for so long now. Thus, it was with tentative steps that she'd approached him, getting near enough to gently nudge his shoulder with her muzzle before sitting down next to his form.

Over his body her gaze had drifted, leaving naught a single visible inch of him without having been examined. "Leo, have you been eating? Has no one brought to you any meals?" she'd asked, watching him closely, protectively. It was her job to ensure no one went without a meal, even if it was a small one, and yet somehow it'd seemed as if the boy was more malnourished than the rest of them. "Would you like to search for something to eat with me? You need something in your stomach." Forever would she worry about him, no matter his age or the circumstances surrounding their meetings. He was her first follower and, in a way, her son.

No matter the answer given, Asterr had hardly heard it. For already had she decided that the boy needed a meal, even if it was to be something small. So, she'd taken him out, leading him around for a bit until something edible had been captured and killed. Not a single morsel of it had gone to her, either, for she'd refused to even look at it. No, her attention had lingered on Leo throughout their entire exchange, ensuring that he'd eaten and would not be left to die. Afterwards, she'd led him to a place to sleep and then left him there, allowing for the boy to rest and work towards regaining his strength.