Blacktail Deer Plateau i shot down the sun with bow and flame

Atticus's admiration of the pups made Peregrine grin rather foolishly. He watched approvingly as his sibling reclined near the pups, then made to do the same. He stretched out on the other side of the puppy pile, curling slightly toward them. Saēna was nearest to him and, though he didn't want to disturb her sleep, he couldn't resist reaching down and gently licking the top of her head.

His brother asked a very reasonable question. Peregrine let Saēna alone and straightened. "I considered that, of course, but I tracked him. I actually went well outside the territory to do it. His trail led northwest, toward a forest. Beside it was a pack's territory. His trail led along the borders, then up and over the ridge line and then led me partially up the coast. I didn't want to go any further, so I turned back. There was absolutely nothing to indicate he didn't walk out of the wilds of his own volition," he finished, "and I'm a Gamekeeper, so it's my job to hunt and track."

The Alpha male pursed his lips, paused for several moments, then shook his head lightly. "Aside from that, my gut tells me that Crete probably couldn't muster the courage to tell myself and Hawkeye in particular about his plans. And that's what gets my goat. Hawkeye would've been disappointed, no doubt, but by just... vanishing, he's probably completely fucked his chances of ever being welcome back here. They didn't get along," he added, in case Atticus didn't know, a sad flicker in his eyes displaying just how much that had bothered him.

"There's nothing we can do about any of it, though. I do hope Crete made it safely back home, for what it's worth, but I'm afraid of what it means for our relationship. Dude completely deserted just in time to miss out on this." He pointed his black muzzle at the four pups. Ty whimpered as if on cue. "Unfuckingbelievable," he muttered, biting back a sigh and touching his nose to Saēna again to soothe himself.