Swiftcurrent Creek I got my scars right here

(I hope this is ok!)

The river was rarely a calm place. The water rushed like life-blood across the plains, carving through the earth with time and patience, but enough force to succeed. The pulse of the water was often more aggressive than the wolves of Swiftcurrent could give it credit for; the pack was aptly named, to be sure. Njal spent many of his days along the banks to fish. It was only recently that the Gamma had re-established himself as a teacher in the ways of fighting, which led him to wander away from his usual prowling route. Today he had returned to it, to rest and relax, to refill the caches, and enjoy the water's rejuvenating presence.

But it was calm. It was too calm. Fish did not slide through the belly of the river - they did not nip at the surface bugs or take sips of the oxygen, which Njal had witnessed on a few occasions. Today the river was empty. The water was rushing by without it's usual fervor. Or maybe he was imagining things? Njal was not one to believe in serendipity; he saw the river as exactly what it was. It's emptiness perplexed him, and that was all.

Until he heard a crunch.

Almost coy in his manner, Njal turned his head and watched the nearby rocks and snow. He waited in this stance for a good few minutes before shuffling along, his head down and body once again prowling. There was a series of crunches that came from afar, so he picked up speed, in time to see a strange badger-like creature hulking along beside the river. The man was curious but he was not stupid. A badger was a formidable enemy to any wolf. Volatile creatures that did not fear the wolf in the slightest.

The badger turned it's head as if to regard him, and that was when Njal saw the odd blue of it's eyes. Shining like the lake on a clear day, or the sky when the clouds were vacant. His hackles naturally rose and Njal felt a chill, which he mentally attributed to the snow around him. The badger did not linger. It moved almost too fast for something of it's species, and Njal tore after it.

Despite the flat land, the Russian lost sight of the creature as it drew close to the water. At first he thought he saw it walk across the current, in to the rocks, and vanish. There must have been a hollow there or -- Wait. There, on the rocks. Njal drew himself up to full height as he approached water now, his nose eagerly sniffing and ears twisting, and he searched for recognition amongst the rocks. There was something here - something familiar, something wolf. It was broken and wedged amongst the stones, pushed by the current as if the river itself wanted to present it's new found plaything.

Lethe.

Njal's breath hissed from his snout as he reared his head, and took a step back.

There was no mistaking the Alpha of Swiftcurrent; her body was water-logged and limp, being tugged at by the hungry river. Rivulets of water pulsed over her body while Njal watched, stricken and silent, without a thought about what to do.

He lifted his head next, and let out a mournful call to the rest of his family; he couldn't deal with this find on his own.