Grouse Thicket I want a ticket to anywhere

@Clarence

It had begun to rain by the time Bronco reached the thicket, and though it was cool, he supposed the smell of wet earth and the sound of the rain might help him while he hunted. He didn't want to exhaust the resources or over-hunt the prey that roamed within the pack's borders or the lands within a close proximity, so he'd ventured out a bit further- not so far that he'd use up more energy than he would gain from a meal, though. That was the trick to thriving- try to take in as many calories as he could without having to push himself too hard to get them. In exchange, he'd begun to fill out a bit, and was transitioning from a lanky adolescent to a boxy, fit adult. 

There was a soft rumble of thunder in the distance, causing his ears to turn. He hadn't heard thunder in a long time- as thunderstorms had seemed to shy away from the cold of winter. It was a nice reminder that warmer weather was on the way, and beneath the grey sky the land seemed to relish the moisture, growing a bit more green every day. It was the first time he would actually get to experience what it was like to watch winter fade as spring grew, and he found he enjoyed it. He liked the smell of spring, the scent of wet moss, new grass, mouldy leaves...All of it. 

The one scent that was somewhat missing was that of the grouse, which normally frequented the thicket. Perhaps the thunder had frightened them into roosting elsewhere, he wasn't sure, or perhaps he was just having a difficult time tracking one down due to the rain, but he roved this way and that, head down, trying to pick up the scent of a grouse, with little success. Still, he persevered, hoping to find something worth the trip he'd taken out to the thicket.