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?"

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.