come clarity

@Ragnar !

Verrine was…apprehensive. The passing of each day brought him and Julooke that much closer to the biggest and most radically-changing new phase of their lives: parenthood. Within her gravid belly slept the future of their bloodlines, the continuation of their families in a new generation. He wasn't sure if he was ready, but he had no choice in the matter; the puppies were coming whether he was ready for them or not. He wasn't getting cold feet or having any sort of crisis or anything, he was just having some jitters. Really big jitters.

It was relatively early in the morning, and Julooke still slept beside him. She needed more sleep these days, as the puppies grew larger and demanded more of her body. He kissed her tenderly, lingering over her peaceful form for a moment, and then turned and headed out to find the one wolf he thought might hopefully lay some of his fears to rest: his trusted Jarl, Ragnar.

He didn't want to send up a howl and stir up the whole pack this early, so he simply set out to find the grizzled Alpha. It wasn't hard to locate Ragnar if one wished to find him; his scent was prominent in the lands -- a testament to his dedication and presence as a leader -- and his den was easy to find, if nothing else. He figured that would probably be the best place to start, as Thistle could point him in the right direction if Ragnar was not there. The forest was serene and bright, birdsong ringing merrily through the treetops as sunlight filtered through the leafy branches and spilled in broken patterns on the earth below. Sifting through his thoughts and considering what questions he could ask Ragnar, Verrine picked up his pace to a brisk trot.