Blacktail Deer Plateau They pull you under

He watched her go, giving a farewell of his own, but remained a moment longer.  Though he did not want to worry overly much, of course his mind went first to worst case scenarios.  Absolute worst would be that the creature had others with it, a pack of it's own. If it came to a fight, they had many strong defenders who could doubtless turn them aside, but the priority would need to be keeping the children safe.

Strategies flowed through his thoughts as he slowly began to wander on, tactics on how to best use their territory to their advantage.  They were ideas he had explored before, but idly, and now he dove in with more gusto.  Before there had not been an immediate threat or need, but now there was a hint of one, and that was enough.