Heron Lake Plateau searching

It didn't seem to be something that Eljay had given much consideration, but he brought up a fact that Elwood had forgotten about. Even if he ventured away from the plateau, found a lady and fell in love, there was no guarantee that they would be able to have puppies if they joined a different pack. A voice in the back of Elwood's head whispered, "But if you and said lady came back to the Redhawks..." Not only would he be more likely to earn breeding rights here, but that would ensure that Elwood and Finley's grandchildren would be raised in their company.

The whole situation held a lot of uncertainties and what-ifs, though. They could speculate on it all day, but it wouldn't really bring Eljay any closer to procreating. Elwood was happy to leave it to fate, as long as Eljay was content with his life at the moment. He was still young; who knew how things would play out in the future. The boy's next question was a bit of a non-sequitur, but it was something that Elwood suspected was often on Eljay's mind. He had never really seemed to love the plateau like the caldera.

"I do miss it, a lot," he admitted. He liked their new home, and had grown accustomed to it; he had no complaints. But it just wasn't the same. Redhawk Caldera held so many memories.