bearclaw's entrance was guarded by a large sentinel stone, and it was here that ancelin was often found if he was not hunting or admiring another grisly trophy brought by one of his girls.
he thought of athalia and amneris as his now, as belonging to he and ameline. the first of many children, if they were blessed.
not yet quite to maturity, ancelin was stirred by the fragrance on the breeze, and slowly rose with a tension to his body. he slipped from the stone and left the single red-dirt path leading into the valley, unconsciously assuming the feline grace of his father.
he found a lone figure in the valley he had also decided belonged to him and to them and to bearclaw. the elk that crossed the meadow often lingered with herds of deer, and they'd fed the small pack at least once.
her scents strengthened. ancelin was still confused by his visceral response, and channeled that not into desire but into a stalking, aggressive gait which treated the other wolf as a trespasser.