when @Masquerade and @Riley left the rise, mountain boulder came to watch their shadows trail toward the valley.
he had not seen thorn caller since the middle of winter. now spring was upon the land, and the young wolf's scent had changed toward pregnancy. there had been no want to return, else he might have spoken to block it himself.
mountain boulder was weary of the redtail conflicts. wealda needed a chance to make her decision for children without the constant press of demands. thorn caller had chosen their path. the last time mountain boulder too had seen the youthful hunter, they had been attempting to dominate new snow. and he had been prepared to accept the outcome by departing redtail. blood star had intervened, and now his mate was caru. thorn caller had been hurt, had taken a mate, had left.
there was no grudge in the ulfhedinn. this was their way, not only of the rise but of wolves since time eternal. a choice had been made that day, a permanent one from which there could be no deviation in his primal mind. thorn caller must leave and go farther from the rise. they could not be welcome near the pups until the tuesdayborn were older, simply for the signal before their conception that the young would be unwelcome. it had been thorn caller's right to make that signal. it had been the pack's right to ignore it. without the prickle of emotions driven by speech, mountain boulder could not understand that it was loneliness of family and missing the wolves of redtail which had led the prodigal pair back, even for a moment.
it showed a change in the rise that blood star had been welcoming. another leader might have seen thorn caller as a traitor with unapproved pups in their belly. the choice to come back could have been dangerous, and he hoped for thorn caller's sake that distance was maintained if wealda grew round with young. again, there was nuance he did not comprehend. he saw only the binary of actions and body language.
his choices around thorn caller were firm, but for mountain boulder there was no emotion attached. once a wolf dispersed from their pack, it was expected that they not return, and travel away as not to make competition with their cousins and siblings. he was not certain why thorn caller had come back at all and had shared blood star's initial wariness. now he was pleased to know that the siblings had met and softened with one another, though the silence of the rise spoke its own message.
mountain boulder had left the densite to moon runner and raven step. now he sniffed at the trail left by sun stone and thorn caller, and tilted his head to call out.
be well, child of red woman. be well, sun stone hunter.
the howl was warm and full-throated.
they did not need to be enemies. they were wolves. their packs would need distance now. but they would see each other again.
his yellow eyes were understanding as he turned away and loped back toward the den.
he had not seen thorn caller since the middle of winter. now spring was upon the land, and the young wolf's scent had changed toward pregnancy. there had been no want to return, else he might have spoken to block it himself.
mountain boulder was weary of the redtail conflicts. wealda needed a chance to make her decision for children without the constant press of demands. thorn caller had chosen their path. the last time mountain boulder too had seen the youthful hunter, they had been attempting to dominate new snow. and he had been prepared to accept the outcome by departing redtail. blood star had intervened, and now his mate was caru. thorn caller had been hurt, had taken a mate, had left.
there was no grudge in the ulfhedinn. this was their way, not only of the rise but of wolves since time eternal. a choice had been made that day, a permanent one from which there could be no deviation in his primal mind. thorn caller must leave and go farther from the rise. they could not be welcome near the pups until the tuesdayborn were older, simply for the signal before their conception that the young would be unwelcome. it had been thorn caller's right to make that signal. it had been the pack's right to ignore it. without the prickle of emotions driven by speech, mountain boulder could not understand that it was loneliness of family and missing the wolves of redtail which had led the prodigal pair back, even for a moment.
it showed a change in the rise that blood star had been welcoming. another leader might have seen thorn caller as a traitor with unapproved pups in their belly. the choice to come back could have been dangerous, and he hoped for thorn caller's sake that distance was maintained if wealda grew round with young. again, there was nuance he did not comprehend. he saw only the binary of actions and body language.
his choices around thorn caller were firm, but for mountain boulder there was no emotion attached. once a wolf dispersed from their pack, it was expected that they not return, and travel away as not to make competition with their cousins and siblings. he was not certain why thorn caller had come back at all and had shared blood star's initial wariness. now he was pleased to know that the siblings had met and softened with one another, though the silence of the rise spoke its own message.
mountain boulder had left the densite to moon runner and raven step. now he sniffed at the trail left by sun stone and thorn caller, and tilted his head to call out.
be well, child of red woman. be well, sun stone hunter.
the howl was warm and full-throated.
they did not need to be enemies. they were wolves. their packs would need distance now. but they would see each other again.
his yellow eyes were understanding as he turned away and loped back toward the den.
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