Swiftcurrent Creek goodbye to you

The alpha-to-be gave his wife one more soft touch of muzzle to cheek, and then turned his attention to Bazi and her own significant other (for what else could Scimitar be at this point? He could recognize something as plain as this). She was solemn for what felt like ages, and then as she drifted about the pair there was a sad understanding passed between the pale leader and the soon to be departed. Her embrace with Tuwawi was longer, more heartfelt it seemed, than the brief farewell she paid to himself; but he was not bitter. There were no doubt many things on the new leader's mind, including the pain of losing devoted members. The stern man watched as Bazi and his wife embraced, and then his attention trailed to Scimitar - who was watching Danica, newly arrived and quiet. The precipitous occasion seemed almost demure because of a collective heaviness. Then Njal noticed the children, and he moved to greet their curious faces.

"Hello little ones. It is good that you are up, we are going on a little adventure today." He rumbled as pleasantly as he could, but Njal could not quite mask the pang of emotion that caught within his throat. He swallowed and tried to focus. "Come on out. Meet a few of your- family, he had wanted to say. That thought died with the broken sentence. On a day where these children were about to see their home for the first time - to traipse about the river's edge as he had dreamed them doing - they were saying goodbye instead of hello. Njal recovered swiftly, and reached with a bowed head to usher the most bold of the three out; hopefully the rest would follow. "We have many places to go today, so come on out."

As one of the babes finally roused and jostled their way in to the light, Njal's doubt nearly evaporated; he watched the little paws and the bright expression upon his child's face, and then turned to regard the others that had gathered. Now was when he saw the chocolate-coated stranger that had offered his help to the group during the meeting; he didn't know his name, but gave a small head bob as acknowledgement. As far as Njal knew through discussions with Tuwawi, they were set to go. The pups were all about three months old anyhow, and could easily walk on their own for some time - although he was ignorant of the troubles this assumption would cause in the future.