Blacktail Deer Plateau kite string tangle

Nameless showed more concern for the pup's small injury than Osprey herself did. "I's okay," she promised between licks. When the she-wolf continued questioning her, her ears flicked and she paused and chirped, "I's yell weal woud! LIKE DIS!" and grinned impishly.

When Nameless threatened to scruff her, Osprey Jr. darted a few feet away and giggled. "Can' catch Jun-yaw!" she crowed, then broke into a run back the way they'd come, which was incidentally the direction of home.

It was also the direction in which her father lay. Smooth as you please, Peregrine emerged from the shadows to block his wayward daughter's path. His sudden appearance not only stopped her short, it scared the piss out of Osprey... literally. She felt warm water running down the insides of her legs as she squatted in fear. She quickly realized it was just her dad, which was a relief, but her heart pounded all the same. Was she in deep trouble?

"You're in deep trouble," Peregrine said as if reading his young pup's mind. Glancing upward, he made eye contact with Nameless over Osprey's head. "Thanks for corralling my little filly here," he said. "We haven't met properly. I'm Peregrine. You're Nameless, right?" The Alpha male paused, letting her answer, then bobbed his head. "I'd hang around and chat but we'll have to do it another time for probably obvious reasons."

Turning his attention to young Osprey again, Peregrine said crisply, "Come on, butthead." He waited for her to stand and start moving before he fell into step behind her. Before father and daughter disappeared back toward the rendezvous site, Peregrine glanced over an onyx shoulder and woofed to Nameless.