Redhawk Caldera Kyrie among nations

It was rough, adjusting to post-Pan life. Somnia's return had given Peregrine some measure of hope that his lover would magically turn up one day, maybe months from now... but primarily his instincts told him that something tragic must have befallen the white Gamma. He tried not to dwell on it and threw himself into his work and remaining family instead. Winter had arrived at their door and there was still much to do to prepare for the season.

He spent the late morning stalking small prey and managed to add a few carcasses to a cache stowed away in the rocky foothills. Peregrine then ranged to the borders and howled for his son to join him on a patrol. He waited patiently, shifting from foot to foot, and the young mercenary arrived fairly promptly. Wordlessly, he and @Nightjar set off along the borderline, sweeping their surroundings with three eyes, three ears and two noses.

Tagging for reference. :)

By now, the pack as a whole knew that Pantaleimon was missing. While Elwood hadn't been particularly close to the white male, his heart still felt heavy. It was never easy to lose a packmate, especially so unexpectedly -- and Pan's absence was significant, as he had become an important member in many ways. Elwood was reminded of Somnia's abrupt disappearance and, like Peregrine, he hoped that Pan would be back some day; after all, Somnia had returned to them just a few weeks ago.

He spotted Peregrine and Nightjar patrolling along the borders, moving side by side. It was striking to see them together -- though Nightjar's coloration was distinctly different from Peregrine's, he had grown into his father's large frame and cut an imposing figure. The youth was often quiet and emotionless, basically the exact opposite of Eljay; that thought caused Elwood's lips to twitch into a smile as he approached.

"All quiet out here?" he asked as he fell into step with the two males. A cursory glance around showed that they were the only ones trekking along the border; although boring, that was just the way he liked it.

"Utterly dead," Peregrine reported when the Beta joined them, flanking Peregrine so that they strode three abreast like confused sled dogs. "Which is the best way for it to be, I suppose. Although Fox and I were talking recently about how quiet it's been. Life has almost been boring at times," he quipped with a quiet laugh.

Turning to address Nightjar, he said, "Hey, why don't you continue in this direction while Elwood and I double back?" His son gave a silent nod of assent and proceeded forward even as Peregrine slowed, made an about face and motioned for his second-in-command to come along. "Maybe we can go for a hunt if nothing comes up," he thought aloud.

As they strolled back along the borderline, Peregrine touched on the earlier topic. "We figure some new pups soon will shake things up a bit. You and Fin plan on another litter...?" he wondered. It wasn't like they could really plan these things but it would be cool if their seconds were born closer together than their firsts.

Elwood nodded as Peregrine confirmed that he and Nightjar hadn't come across anything unusual. Overall, the caldera had been particularly quiet as of late, as Peregrine had noted; the Beta, for one, had been kind of relieved after all that had gone on with Finley. "I'm not complaining," he agreed, then paused as Peregrine gave Nightjar a directive.

Obediently and without speaking, the burly firebird took his father's suggestion and departed from their company. Elwood watched him go, then turned to follow Peregrine as they moved away from Nightjar. He bobbed his head again at the mention of a potential hunt; that would be more exciting than patrolling, should they deem that the borders were secure for the time being.

He couldn't help but smile as Peregrine guided the conversation in a predictable direction. He had discussed this very topic with Fox only a few weeks ago; and in the time that had passed, he and Finley still hadn't broached the topic of having another litter. "I don't know yet," he replied honestly. "I think we'll probably talk about it more once the spring rolls around."

Elwood's response made Peregrine tilt his head thoughtfully. What if Finley went into heat before then? That seemed like an intrusive thought, so he didn't voice it. He brushed it aside. How the Beta pair intended to plan their family was really none of his business, beyond his permission, which was pretty much a given at this point. At least they would be more mindful this time around. He had briefly forgotten about the circumstances of little Elwood's conception. He had been an accident, another thing which sort of stumped Peregrine, considering how wolf reproduction worked. Again, it wasn't something he would say aloud.

"I bet Eljay would appreciate some younger siblings," the Alpha male mused, then steered the conversation in a slightly different direction. "Speaking of which, how's he doing lately? I haven't been the most social. Has he started thinking about trades yet?" He was around six months old, a juvenile, and accordingly, the Alpha male's expectations of the pack's youngest member would rise. Parentage aside, he would be expected to start contributing more actively.

"I think so too," Elwood agreed even as he considered the possibility of providing Elwood Jr with a set of younger siblings. Maybe it would bolster the boy's confidence to have little ones looking up to him -- or maybe it would just make things worse for the entire family. The more Elwood thought about it, the more it felt like a weight on his shoulders, so he was relieved when Peregrine changed the subject.

The Beta shrugged his shoulders, weaving around a divot in the ground so as not to twist his ankle. "He hasn't been too ambitious yet," he admitted with a frown. "But I think he's becoming more interested in hunting. I've given him a few lessons. If you have the time, I think he'd enjoy getting some tips from you, too." He glanced at Peregrine; obviously the pack's leader was busy, but Elwood imagined that the skilled hunter wouldn't mind sharing some advice with his second-in-command's son.

Whether or not Elwood and Finley intended to add to their family, they would find out how their son reacted to new puppies when the Alpha pair welcomed another litter. Perhaps this would even be a deciding factor for whether the Betas procreated again, if the timing worked in everyone's favor. He didn't mention any of this out loud, pushing the thoughts into a tidy filing cabinet in the back of his mind.

He could hear a bit of a frown in Elwood's voice when he mentioned his son's lack of ambition. A quick glance told him that Peregrine wasn't just hearing things. He then focused on the ground ahead, though of course he lent his companion both of his ears. They quivered when the pewter wolf mentioned his son's possible interest in hunting. Now that piqued the Alpha's interest.

"I'd love to lend a hand. I'll seek him out soon to discuss some training with him," Peregrine said. "This year's pups turned out pretty well-rounded," he mused. "We've got a mercenary, a healer and a hunter." And they would have had a promising naturalist and scout too, although he could no longer count Wildfire. And within hours, he would find out that she had switched her trades up anyway, when Fox came home from her visit to Moonspear.

Happy to hear that Peregrine was willing to work with Eljay a bit, Elwood's frown turned into a small smile. There was only so much that he and Finley could do -- of course, they were dedicated (if inexperienced) parents. Elwood didn't want to smother Eljay or influence his interest in trades too much, but just like any other child, he had the feeling that Eljay would more readily take advice from Peregrine.

"Thanks," he replied, ears tilting as Peregrine reflected on the jobs that Nightjar and Raven had taken up. It was hard to believe that the two firebirds had already moved into the adult ranks and that Eljay was well on his way. How had the time passed so quickly?

Another thought suddenly struck the Beta as he gazed out over the horizon. "Any word on Pan?" he wondered aloud, casting a glance at Peregrine in case the topic turned out to be touchy.

When Elwood thanked him, the Alpha gave his comrade a look that said, Of course. He then squinted ahead, sure he had just seen movement in the distance. His jaw tightened as he turned his head to favor his good eye. It turned out to be a wild pig that quickly cantered off once it spotted them. Despite his earlier words about a hunt, Peregrine didn't attempt to give chase. He couldn't help but remember how his last pig hunt with Elwood had gone. He didn't need a headache right now. (And he still didn't realize the direct connection to his impaired vision.)

"Any word on Pan?" the Beta asked and the words stung his heart like a slap. He steadied himself with a deep breath, then Peregrine shook his head and replied, "No... El, I don't think he's coming back. I don't usually believe in this shit but I just have a feeling he's gone." The heaviness in his voice indicated that, by gone, he meant dead. He looked down at his broad paws for a moment, then up at Elwood, sadness and pain etched into every plane of his salt-and-pepper face. He had never really unloaded on Elwood—that's what Pan was for—but of course he couldn't cry on Pan's shoulder anymore.

Elwood, too, eyed the wild pig in the distance; but since Peregrine didn't pay it any mind, he simply watched as it ran away. Had the pack's master hunter shown interest, he would have been more than ready to spring into action. The silver Beta had just introduced a touchy subject, however, and the change in Peregrine's mood was palpable.

Rather than adopt a positive outlook, Peregrine admitted that he had little hope that Pantaleimon would return. Although he didn't explicitly say it, Elwood picked up on the ominous tone behind Peregrine's words. It was certainly odd that the white male had vanished in the first place, and that there had been no sign of him since. Pan didn't seem like the type of wolf who would purposefully leave his pack behind without a word, so despite Elwood's hopefulness, even he had to admit that it was unlikely he would return.

"I'm sorry, Peregrine," he said quietly, squinting out at the horizon as though Pan would magically appear. Had Finley not just healed from her last misadventure, he would have suggested sending the outrider to look for their missing comrade; but he swallowed that thought. The last thing they needed was to lose their Beta female in addition to the shy subordinate.

Wanna fade this, since we have another? :)

The Beta male offered his condolences and Peregrine shot him another silent look, this one of sad gratitude. He then abruptly changed his mind about that pig and motioned toward it, indicating for Elwood to fall in beside him as he began cantering in that direction. He would just be extra careful this time. He would only go in for the kill if he was sure neither one of them would get injured. But even if they didn't end up attacking, there was nothing like a good, challenging hunt to get his mind off things like the hole Pan had left behind in his life and heart.

Yep!

There was no verbal response from Peregrine, but Elwood picked up on the perceptible change in the Alpha's attention. The moment that Peregrine moved forward, his focus redirected to the wild pig, Elwood shifted into hunting mode. Thoughts of Pantaleimon slipped away as the two gamekeepers moved in sync, wordlessly communicating a plan to bring down the boar.

Unlike last time, they were successful, and enjoyed a small feast before caching the remains.