Heron Lake Plateau Eat your potatoes

Because Quixote was a creature of habit and usually maintained a fairly consistent schedule, Raven did notice when he failed to show up earlier in the afternoon. She thought little of it, though, figuring he'd just gotten sidetracked with something. She had spent the day playing with the pups, teaching them what she could, and even allowing them to venture outside the den's entrance a little. When they'd finally tired out, she had fed them and now they slept like tiny corpses near the back of the den.

It was then that she noticed the presence of someone outside her den, and a few concentrated sniffs revealed it to be her mate. Was that the faint scent of blood she detected on him as well? Concern well inside of her as she quietly emerged from the den's opening -- after first making sure the kids were all still asleep for the moment. She licked Qui's face in affectionate greeting, her tail wagging behind her heels as she did, and then backed away to sit down facing him. "You okay, love?" she asked him, the look in her eyes making it clear that she wasn't oblivious to the fact that he'd had an Interesting Day^TM.