Bramblepoint sweet child o mine

It was odd for Rannoch to be surrounded by so many others, but, despite the oddity, he much preferred it over solitude. Despite the confidence that had been felt upon their departure from Chimera Fields, Rannoch had not been sure at the time what would come of this adventure. The feat was one born out of a longing to find their place in the world, and slowly, Rannoch was feeling more sure of where he was intended to be. The new recruits solidified this for him and made him feel as though something was coming of their wandering. 

Though it had been long since Rannoch ran amongst the ranks of a solidified pack, he knew that how he felt was the feeling of a pack-bound wolf; working and striving for the survival of all. With this feeling was coupled another, one that he hadn't experienced in his seclusion. It was one that urged him to pick himself up, to tower over the others, and for things to go his way. Though he was characteristically a good-natured wolf, there was something about running amongst others that urged him to be the top dog, to assert him, and as such he had been conducting himself in such a manner around the others. 

On this particular day, the band had settled in the shadows of the fruit trees for the afternoon as the sun shone heavily overhead. In this siesta, Rannoch had found himself wondering about Keoni, and he sought her out, following her scent trail easily. He had been worried for her since she had been found. Physically she had been faring well, her face slowly recovering from the injury it had undergone, but mentally, Rannoch was unsure. He had known from experience the hardships of trauma that lingered under the surface. He had weathered the worst storms, falling victim to the lowest lows and he wanted to make sure that she hadn't succumbed to such feelings. 

When he spotted her, he paused at a safe distance, allowing her some space if need be. Despite this, he held himself tall, his tail rising, yet, a kind smile was upon his features. "Hey, Keoni," he called, "Mind if I join you?"