Blacktail Deer Plateau i was lightning, before the thunder

he knew something was wrong from a distance. grayday was getting older, but he was not so elderly as to move that gingerly across his own territory. it was only as he drew close, though, and heard dawn's exclamation, did he notice the absence of the alpha's left eye.

"haaye!" aditya barked in shock, his eyes wide as he took a step back to peer at grayday. "my god. . .what happened?" his query echoed dawn's, poor burr all but forgotten for now.

the leader appeared not to have any other injuries, but to lose an eye. . .  aditya's stomach churned with worry as he thought of the southern wolves again. had they come here and done this? were they now involved in this war, too?

his eyes shot to dawn, fear-filled. the joyous homecoming he had come to expect had vanished like mist in sunlight.