Blacktail Deer Plateau Into the Light

It took quite a lot of effort to crawl up the burrow and poke her head out of the entrance. The spring sunshine felt good on her face, so Pied squeezed out into the open and stood on legs that seemed weak in consideration of her heavily pregnant belly. She swayed, then sat on the slope next to the den's mouth, shifting around to find the position least uncomfortable for her.

As she squinted out into the woods, Pied spotted a small boulder she'd never seen before and wondered if and when it had fallen down the mountain. Only when it moved did she realize it was no large stone; it was a wolf! She blinked, hesitated, then chuffed under her breath in the hopes of snaring its attention.