Redtail Rise prince

a near month he’d been gone.

there were nights of searching—for the boys—to no avail.

and nights of fatigue beyond what he’d ever experienced.

he’d been sick. luckily, he escaped a grimmer fate.

the illness stole a few pounds from him, masked beneath the veil of his inky silhouette.

he announces his homecoming with a howl, and returns to the rise with a hare dangling from his jaws. 

he is weathered, but basked in a glow of recovery.

The moon had waned and waxed a full cycle before she heard Tall Shadow’s voice.

Wealda, thankfully, was on the path of recovery. Chipmunk grew slowly compared to her siblings, and this worried the Trēow…. but he was spirited and clung to their red-furred leader like sap.

Sister had dispersed.

Vulture was withdrawn.

Mother and Father patroled. Hunted.

Moon Runner abandoned the path of prey to meet the Beserkr… but was he still Beserkr in Moon Runner’s heart?

She was not wise like the grown adults. She felt upset at the sight of him. Angry. Perhaps only because she cared so much. Why hadn’t Tall Shadow returned to the pack with Wealda?

These emotions were worn right on her sleeve. Moon Runner was apprehensive to approach him. Her head slung low with a glare. She could feel an erratic flavor of aggression build, but quickly diffused it by sniffing the ground. He returned with food but it was not enough to mend Moon Runner’s broken trust in a wolf who was supposed to be apart of their Heafod.

You were gone, her spirit said.

It did not occur to the wild she-wolf to hide these feelings. Faraway Shadow should know them.

his heart flutters at the sight of moon runner. he’d known she’d come.

but he’d never seen her this frustrated.

and it was understandable. he’d been gone.

but it would be selfish to endanger the pack with a fate similar to dragonspine.

mulherin’s tail wags steadily. a low whine, soulful, leaves his throat and he places down the hare.

he rolls to the ground, offering her a show of his thinning build.

the illness spread to me.

i think this can be a cameo! <3

night eye had come back, and relief limned the yellow eyes of the huntlead.

moon runner had already greeted the tall bersekr. the ulfhedinn approached only momentarily, passing close enough to wave his tail in welcome.

with interest he watched the display, gleaning what was said. a rumbling chuff said it was good he had stayed away then.

nose brushed his daughter's pelt in silent support of her questioning, but mountain boulder was ready to move on, pleased that the younger male had returned.

in simplicity, he felt much was well now, save for the distance of wealda.

Faraway Shadow did not refute Moon Runner’s sentiments.

She saw the signs of conciliation in his body. Heard them in the expressive timbre of his voice. The desire to appease. Ammend. Explain.

Her amber eyes watched him carefully, gaze not yet warm but melting.

She took a few steps toward Faraway Shadow when he lowered himself to the earth. This base display greatly appealed to Moon Runner’s feral instincts. To her, it was a show of deference and cooperation. Apology, even. And it touched Moon Runner’s wild heart.

However, a small and intrusive voice represented the hurt still within her.

Hold his selfish muzzle with your teeth! the dark spirit desired. Push him into the ground! Punish him!

The band of cream hairs along her nape began to prick just as Wise Father joined them. Like an unrockable boat, he passed by. His steady, unbothered presence showed Moon Runner the right path.

Eventually, the young she-wolf came close enough to Faraway Shadow to inspect what he wished her to know.

She stood over him, but not in a comandeering way. Her ears turned in thought as her eyes and nose worked together analytically. In the darkness of Faraway Shadow’s black and umber furs hid a lean and weakened figure. A sharp and hungry body, weathered by the elements. Because of experience, Moon Runner knew the state well. Faraway Shadow had been ill.

Moon Runner had the majority of the puzzle pieces… but not all of them to complete the whole picture. She knew there had been some sort of skirmish… but she would never know the decayed, dangeorus, and animal state that Blood Spot and Rolling Thunder had succumbed to. What the sickness known as rabies could to do a wolf. Why Faraway Shadow and Wealda sequestered themselves away so adamently.

But what mattered was that they had both returned. The pack could be whole again.

She sniffed his furs up and down the side of his body like a pendulum. Then, around the face. Ears. Jowels. Not one hair escaped her inspection. Satisfied, Moon Runner gave him space and stretched casually. A wave of her white tail.

All is well, the spirit said. All will be well.

Still, Moon Runner’s expression was stoic and absent of its usual nonchalance. At some point, the spirit realized, Faraway Shadow had become a stranger to her.

Wise Father rumbeled a note. It grounded Moon Runner.

She turned toward the forest, in the direction of Wealda and Chimpmunk’s resting spot. Faraway Shadow should meet the Rise’s newest member… and she took a step forward, ready to show him the way.

the huntlead’s presence grounded his daughter.

there was no way for him to explain what had happened. the clues were there, scattered; smithereens from an explosion.

if they only could’ve seen the bomb go off.

moon runner inspects him thoroughly. her scrutiny feels bitter, chastising. when she finishes and he rises to his feet, he can see her eyes are darker than he’d known them to be.

that rift of silence would always be between them. deeper than ever, now.

but in the end, her endless grace shone through. they wag tails at one another.

he grabs his gift and follows after her.

Faraway Shadow had become a stranger… but Moon Runner did not wish this to be.

He followed her and they walked together, side by side. The Trēow led them into the deep forest, toward a place where aromatic pine needles coated the woodland floor.

Her pace was slow, as if she tried to savour this walk with Faraway Shadow.

Every now and again her amber eyes flicked up to find his face.

It was quiet, save for distant bird song.