Blacktail Deer Plateau the time has come (ic joining)

Peregrine was napping, his body curled toward Hawkeye's and his head nestled atop her paws, when a howl in the distance roused him. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he lifted his head and gazed first at his mate, then at the two little puppies sleeping between them. A soft smile touched his lips when he saw that Osprey Jr. had wedged herself alongside his foreleg. He reached down and nudged her nearer to her mother, then sighed and pushed himself to his feet.

"Duty calls," he murmured, touching his muzzle to Hawkeye's temple and giving her a light kiss. "I'll be back." After a last, lingering glance at his family, the Alpha male turned and swept from the den, hating that some stranger's howl was pulling him away from his family. But Hawkeye needn't worry about border patrol with two-day-old puppies at her breast, nor was there another Warden to answer such summons.

He arrived at the crest of the plateau, paused long enough to eyeball the caller, then trotted down the slope. When he reached her, Peregrine lifted his head and tail, then pricked his ears. His dusky eyes were steely as they fastened on the stranger's face. She might be a pretty young female but he didn't particularly notice. He already had four women in his life (his wife, his daughters and his sister), all of them beauties, and he didn't have the time of day for any other she-wolf.

A bit impatiently, the swarthy male said, "I'm Peregrine, the plateau's Alpha male. You've taken me from my young family. Tell me your name and why you're here. And keep it short." His tail gave a rigid twitch and he stood there stoically, awaiting the female's reply.