Blackfeather Woods only to trip at the sound of goodbye

Ice fluttered from above, and Venamis chose to observe in silence. A springtime cub, the Winter's drifts had thawed by the time he and his siblings ventured from the helping den for the first time. This was another first for him, a bitter cold to conveniently follow the shaking of earth and felling of their foliage.

When he happened to cross Maegi's path, he moved to join her. Stride quickened, he padded quietly through the trees and peered through gently falling snow in search of her pale form. He went to her soundlessly, a shadow stepping alongside her so he could just brush the fur of his shoulder to hers - assurance to them both that they still had each other.

"Where are you going?" Venamis enquired after a time, continuing to stare ahead as he canted a dark ear toward the pallid she-wolf in anticipation of a retort.