Whitefish River I feel like prey, I feel like praying

While Phoenix Maplewood is en route. Perhaps @Gaia or @Desna or any other PHX member? @Indra @Laurel are also welcome here since they're obviously with Saena, heh. No obligation to play with me, though! Marked private 'cause any lone wolf that approaches would instantly be mauled so it's technically not all welcome, lol, but any PHX/Nomads character is welcome!

From the bank of the winding Whitefish River, Saena can see the outline of her former home etched against the darker background of the mountain. Her heart aches to return to it, to wander its deep woods once more now that she knows the pack has left it, but she has a duty to her family and her subordinates to lead them somewhere safe. As much as she yearns to claim the plateau and make good on her childhood vow to lead the plateau pack, she can't shake the feeling that the territory is cursed, and the memories accompanying it would be bad for her already poor psyche. She resists the urge to settle them there, but she can't stop sneaking glances at it as she bathes her pups.

Their vision is surely sharpening now, which surely accounts for their spike in activity, though their ears are still small and rounded and she still doesn't know if they can hear or not. She's too oblivious to realize their activity and sporadic behaviour is probably stress more than anything; as far as she knows, babies can't be stressed out. That's an adult thing. With a grown, Saena exasperatedly reaches out between licks across Milo's spine to scoop up Indra, who insists on trying to toddle away. The river is too near for Saena to let any of them explore, but the ruddy pup is testing her patience something fierce, and this only gets worse when Laurel tries her luck, too.

"Okay, stop," Saena snorts at them, reaching out a paw to squish Indra into the ground in an effort to keep her still. However, the pup is deceptively strong and wriggles free easily with a gleeful noise, and Saena has to spring forth to grab the child by the scruff, only to turn back and see Laurel beating a hasty retreated. "Hey!" she snaps, dropping Indra alongside Milo (who immediately attempts to squash his sister) and pacing worriedly after Laurel to capture her before she goes too far.