Blacktail Deer Plateau As we go on, we remember all the times we had together

Judging by the expression on Saena's face, she hadn't contemplated this option in any kind of depth. "You'd have to recruit them," Junior said in an encouraging tone, "which I'm sure you could do. Then you'd know for a fact they wanted to follow you, versus having the wolves here at the plateau maybe second guess you if you got promoted. Not that they would, necessarily!" she was hasty to add. "But you know what I mean? You'd be absolutely certain they signed up for your leadership."

The black yearling's eyes shone brightly, feeling herself growing excited for Saena. "Maybe you'd be best off trying to recruit fellow yearlings? That's what Bones and Ira did. The pack is mostly younger members, since not many older wolves wanted to follow a couple of yearlings. Especially because Ira can be quite a cocky little shit," Junior said, lip curling into a bemused smile. It was clear she thought highly of her leader, despite her words. "And if I want to uproot for you, that's my decision! If it makes you feel any better, I'll probably flake on you eventually," she quipped with a good-natured bat to Saena's pale shoulder.

That was when Blue Willow appeared to fuss over the prodigal Blacktail. "Aunt Willow!" Junior cried, deciding she no longer deserved to call her Mama Willow. Her reaction told Junior that Saena hadn't shared Junior's fate with the pack. "Yeah, I am," she laughed, allowing the woman to baby her a moment. "I'm sorry I vanished. I really, really am. I hope you can forgive me. I was upset but I never would've left because of that. This was my home. It's just that I crawled into the mountain and hurt myself. I might've been in tough shit if Bones hadn't found me and taken me into her pack. Do you know Bones...?"

"Anyway," she continued after a breath, "I'm fine! I'm actually doing really well, as I was just telling Saena. I've been staying with Bones's pack at Thief River Falls. Actually, I'm a Beta, just like you!" For the moment, it didn't occur to her that the Healer's rank might have changed. "And I have a mate too! But enough about me. I heard you had pups?" Junior wasn't particularly interested in babies, though she was more than happy to give her aunt her chance to gush over her offspring.