Blacktail Deer Plateau together we map the world

Saēna replied in kind and Junior nodded slowly. She supposed she'd also shown some measure of bravery... but was that so surprising? She'd always been the dominant, confident, headstrong pup. It was Saēna's atypical show of bravery and power that was truly remarkable today. Yet Junior didn't exactly have the words to convey this concept, so she said nothing.

When the smaller, paler child nudged Osprey's chin, she arched her head to lick and nibble the bridge of Saēna's muzzle, accepting their respective roles and reinforcing a bond that had suddenly become considerably stronger. As Alpha pup, Osprey would not magically cease the posturing and behavior that came with maintaining her dominance, yet from this day forward, she would no longer consider Saēna her personal bunching bag. The era of bullying had ended when they'd fought a common enemy side by side.

"Wes go home," a weary Osprey said after finally catching her wind. She stood slowly, then waited for Saēna to do the same. She pressed her hip into Saēna's so that the two of them walked in tandem up to the plateau proper, their closeness and suddenly united front perhaps a welcome surprise to the rest of the pack and, particularly, their closest loved ones.