The Lightning Strike

Tonravik surveyed those that arrived, assessing them. They, too, looked worried; the alpha female looked to the horizon, and then back to the two. With her was a chronicler, and a male she had not yet met extensively bar a scent exchange... both, the alpha female knew little of even still. The tawny one had been quiet, but at the least, he was present. She knew that in the coming days he would need to be so, due to the fact that they would be sticking exclusively together.

Kapvik came, too. She he knew more of. Her head lifted as she looked at the quartet before her, and she knew she must leave one behind. While Tonravik was partial toward Kapvik, she was of the mind that leaving him with Nanuk and Iqniq might inspire a camaraderie between them. Despite their last spat, Iqniq and Kapvik had in the way of the wolf sorted things out as they would; she imagined that now, they could tolerate one another. Soon they might even enjoy one another.

Kapviks attitude toward her mate reminded her of Iqniqs toward the brown bear that had departed them... but the circumstances were entirely different. She was not in heat, now, and was days from bringing them the future if they survived this. 

And to survive this, they needed one another.

"The prey has gone. We too must go." Her ears shift atop her head, and she looks toward the dour Kapvik. "There are few not here. Kapvik, I would have you scout for those not present. Iqniq and Nanuk are doing the same." They needed as many eyes as possible to find those not here at the moment to scour the lands from every angle. "We head to Moonspear, and we leave now."

There was no time for being soft; she looked to Kapvik with her tail above her hindquarters, entrusting him to this duty because she knew him. Echelon she needed by her side, and Kapvik and Iqniq could also collect as many herbs as possible to bring to their rendezvous in case anyone needed treating. Ideally, all would be safe. But one never knew. She looked to her subordinates to assess them, see that they understood.