Blackfeather Woods Darkness is not my fear, for fear is my home

11.07.16 — Ending added.

With the growth of his children, he felt more comfortable leaving them alone throughout the day. Of course, Nemesis was often there to watch over them all, and she was more than capable of protecting them should something happen, but he’d still been iffy in the past. Presently, however, they could move well enough and were learning the differences between what is dangerous and what is not. It was a long time yet before they’d be able to explore the woods entirely by themselves, but they were each well on their ways, which was what mattered the most. Someday, perhaps, one or two might even accompany him on his patrols along the outskirts of the woods; the children had yet to show any interest in specific trades, but he was hopeful. Given that Xan had never been one to follow in his footsteps, it’d be nice, he believed, to mentor one of his younger children.

When he’d left his family to fulfill his duties for the day, they’d seemed fine, and so he worried little about them as he proceeded through the usual motions. His focused was on refreshing the pack’s markings and ensuring that no sketchy figures were lingering too close to the forest. And, on the off chance that there was someone out there, it was his responsibility to deal with them. It’d become rare, though, for loners to venture too near to his home, and so such was a task that he’d not completed regularly in quite some time. But, as he turned to observe the plains beyond the darkness, it seemed as if the streak of no disturbances was to be put to an end.

There was a mound upon the earth that had acquired his attention, though the form hadn’t become particularly wolf-like until he’d moved closer. What had drawn him in was the possibility, for in with the wind there had come the scent of a stranger, and so he’d felt it necessary that anything abnormal be investigated. And it was good that he had, for the lump was clearly a wolf, towards which he’d cleared his throat in an effort to get her up and attentive. His posture was defensive, protective, but not yet hostile, for she’d yet to prove herself to be a threat. He'd give her a moment to realize where she was, perhaps even explain herself in the way that most panicked wolves seemed to do, and then go on to handle the situation in the most appropriate way.

Noticed during his approach, he'd watched as the stranger looked his way, right before having departed from the scene. Kove would watch her leave and ensure that she had no intentions of returning, then return to the edges of the woods in order to continue his patrol.