Sleeping Dragon If I had a voice I could sing

*recycles* :)

When Wildfire managed to capture a gosling near the river and drag it back home, she found herself drifting toward the commander's den. It was almost Pavlovian by now, this instinct to keep Thuringwethil fed during this period of little food. But the yearling caught herself, paused a long time to deliberate, then changed course. She climbed partway up the sleepy volcano, found a rocky roost and settled down to feed. She felt guilty for not proffering her kill to the Alpha, yet Wildfire simply couldn't bear to face her, nor even leave the carcass for her to find. She didn't even want the Heda to know she existed right now, so great was the mortification that had flowered in the days following her admission.

After she fed, the Delta sighed and stretched out on the sun-baked stone to soak up some of the June heat. She was still slender and bony, yet the small signs of returning foliage and game made her feel hopeful that she might survive this, after all. Maybe they all would, even the unborn pups in Gyda's swollen belly. Lying there, Wildfire let her thoughts drift to them as she wondered what role she might play in their lives. Her mind then strayed much further, to the little brothers she'd never met at the caldera. She wondered how her family was doing and vowed to make the trip again once she regained her strength.

A loud howl broke through the steamy afternoon quiet, causing Wildfire to sit up straighter, then push to her feet. Feeling energized from her meal and grateful for a distraction, the yearling crawled back down to ground level and trotted toward the borders. She did not fancy herself a guardian but she was an ambassador by trade. This might be a good opportunity to brush up on her rusty recruiting skills, even if the howl itself meant the job was halfway done. A small smile curved her lips at the thought and it was with this expression—as well as a slightly elevated head and tail—that Wildfire approached the stranger and wordlessly scrutinized her, the silence inviting her to state her name and purpose.