Blackfoot Forest new blood

The children had changed everything with their arrival. When once he might have patrolled the territory edge for hours upon hours, now it took effort to leave the den for any measurable amount of time. Njal was not irritated by this fact. He was enamored by the tiny bodies that were held inside the den, nestled neatly beside Tuwawi. He was distracted, thoroughly distracted. It took great effort to finally pry himself from her presence - from their's - and once he did, the new father was craving their company on a constant, lovesick basis. The threat of the Sunspire pack had nearly evaporated in his mind, which was dangerous. Considering the threat that Jace and Ferdie still posed (and the comments they made towards his wife and family), the pair of fools should have been on the top of his list.

Njal reacquainted himself with the surroundings for a few hours. He traced the paths he once roamed, worming his way around the territory, familiarizing himself with the shifting scents. There were more wolves within Swiftcurrent now, some which were very new. What else had he missed? It didn't matter - the children were the future of the pack, and that was what counted. As long as they were safe, everything he did was worth it. The beast slowed his pace as he marched through the budding Wapun Meadow, and then when a scent caught his attention, he veered in to the forest. It had been his plan to dig a few more dens - and he had, just not this far south of the river. Not yet. The forest would provide ample cover but, with the bulk of its growth hidden in the crook of the mountains, Njal was unsure of its safety level. He thought he had caught a few familiar scents as he moved between the trunks - but they made little sense.

Jace had been here at some point. Maybe others? An animal scent was pervasive, but it wasn't wolf. Njal was reminded of the cougar that attacked earlier in the year, and his body grew stiff with apprehension. This isn't a safe place yet, he thought grimly. Perhaps he could work on guarding the forest as well - but that put him at a distance from Tuwawi. Decisions, decisions.