Arrow Lake you deserve grandchildren with 82 legs

Now that the weakest of Stigmata's illicit (could it be called that?) litter had crested the hardest rise of his recovery, Stag was allowed near. Stag took this new freedom with the highest honor, and did not approach @Trench's den without ceremony.

While most of Stag's intentions were pure (puppy playtime, new friend, adventure), Stag also approached for a different reason. He had it in his head that he was the strongest of all the puppies born this year (Aurewen's litter already completely forgotten) and thus, had to scope out the competition. Approaching the den with his massive ears airplaned to the side in listening intensity, Stag dropped the leaf-studded branch of maple in his mouth, and sniffed inquiringly at the den's shadowed mouth.