Dawnlark Plains pocket full of posies

aditya was with @Kasatka at the northern border when the trouble started, the two of them conversing as they patrolled. he had lived far too long on this coastline to not know the smell of smoke when it came; his nostrils flared, and he threw his head up, searching for the flames. with fire came certain destruction. were the plains ablaze?

evidently, for the hungry gold-orange tongues drew nearer and nearer, and aditya's gaze, full of fear, cut back to kitten.

"run, merbani," he commanded, voice urgent. he took in her face, her eyes, in case this was the last he saw of her, and swallowed. "there's nothing but death for us here. run to the moraine, and the glacier beyond. i have to go help get the pups out."

he whirled on his heels, but then turned back, looking at kitten for one final, fleeting moment. "i love you, bachchi. run!--go!" without surety of what she eventually decided to do, aditya took off toward the rendezvous, paws a blur in his urgency. dawn's howl cut through the sky, and the sentinel met up with her shortly after, the two of them speeding across the plains, headed toward the dens.