Bearclaw Valley -- i've dreamt this moment, so overdue

The morning brought with it a stiffness to his wounds that he gladly would have avoided, had he a choice. Each movement tugged and pulled at the taut skin, creating a feeling that was more uncomfortable that it was painful. At some point during the night, he must have rubbed the torn flesh of his neck the wrong way, causing it to bleed all over again and then create new scabs—scabs that formed whilst he was asleep, when his body was more bunched together. So every movement upon waking was just the same as stretching the wound itself, filling his day so far with an endless stinging sensation.

However much it bothered him to do so, Alexander pressed forward, ignoring the complaints that his body made against him. He had things to do and he couldn’t just lounge around, even if he had been in a fight just the other day; it didn’t matter, the valley required his attention. Honestly, the thought of taking the day off and just resting was beyond appealing but, by the time he’d started to seriously consider that as an option, he was already at the entrance. Being there reminded him that he needed to check things out and make sure all was safe, to keep intruders from coming in and harming his pack mates. The instinctual desire to protect what was his pushed him up towards the mouth of the valley, weaving between the boulders that littered the path—and rubbing himself against every other one—until he was nearing the end.

He saw his friend—during the night, as he’d laid awake evaluating the events of their fight, he’d decided that he could trust her enough to refer to her as such—first, at whom he chuffed. Just a moment after and he’d heard the sound of another male’s voice, bringing his ears to perk with attentiveness and interest as he gazed around the boulder he was situated behind. Whether or not he was visible to the outsider, he wasn’t sure, but Xan could see him: small in comparison to the brutish northerner, adorned with varying shades of browns and reds. For now, he remained where he was, watching with silent curiosity as he wondered how the girl might react to a stranger so close to their claim.