Stavanger Bay I'm gonna be the best

At length, the beach failed to draw her and even the pursuit of her Shield Maiden status began to lose its luster. The past few days, Junior had remained close to home, her demeanor bothered and listless. She couldn't stop thinking of her family now. Sometimes, she even flopped in the grass and, unable to stifle the urge, whined and whimpered under her breath. Although she very much liked her foster family, Ragnar particularly, she missed the plateau and her loved ones dearly. Though she was too young to pinpoint her feelings or properly articulate them to anybody else, Junior badly wanted to go home.

Today, she lay a few dozen yards away from the Alpha's den, gazing off into the distance and remaining unusually still and quiet. A sudden burst of noise caused her to start, then jerk her head around to spot young Tveir romping around the clearing adjacent to the den. Not long ago, she would've given him a run for his money, happy to prove she could be just as obnoxiously loud and energetic. Presently, she just stared at him, mismatched eyes slightly squinted, before she heaved a sigh, plucked herself up off the ground and wandered closer.

"What're you doing?" she questioned him, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile despite her melancholy mood. He just looked so goofy! It almost inspired her to want to play with him... almost but not quite. "I have a sad," she blurted abruptly. It was the first time she'd admitted as much out loud, though her foster family had quite likely already noticed her behavior and begun to wonder what afflicted the normally happy-go-lucky pup.