he had been told a pack lived here, but there seemed to be no sign of activity as they gazed down into the vale. scents went to and fro at different times, scattering like autumn leaves to the wind. what once might have been a formidable group had vanished.
"pema's right," he said finally, his breath making little clouds in the cool air. "they just left, each of them probably solo. could be a weak leader, or disease. . ." his voice trailed off as worry struck him. if it had been an illness, was morningside too close for comfort? was the security of their pack at risk?
he frowned, looking at dawn and pema. "we should be on the lookout for any of these wolves when we get back to the plateau, just in case. get their story." he knew that pema and grayday had visited the vale at one point; surely they knew some of its members.
home. it had not been long since they had left the plateau, but with the journey and what dawn had told him about the evil pack to the south, he was eager to get back to grayday and others. whatever had happened to the vale was of no concern to them, at least for now.
aditya nodded at the women's words, turning his eyes northward. "let's go home," he said out loud, mostly to himself, and trotted after pema, pelt rippling in the winter wind.